title: Helicobacter pylori chronic gastritis in children: to eradicate or not to eradicate?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of triple eradication therapy versus symptomatic therapy in children with Helicobacter pylori-associated chronic active gastritis (H pylori-ACAG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Symptomatic patients with H pylori-ACAG (n=31) were randomly assigned into two groups: (1) patients infected with H pylori who were treated with triple eradication therapy (n = 16); and (2) patients infected with H pylori who were treated with symptomatic therapy (n=15).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 1 year of follow-up, macroscopic appearance was significantly different in group B (P=.023), and chronic inflammation, H Pylori density, and activity were significantly higher in group B than in group A (P=.022, .007, and .002, respectively); however, we did not find a significant difference in the symptoms comparing both groups (P=.287). After 1 year of follow-up, we observed the persistence of the H pylori infection in all children who had not received eradication treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no correlation between eradication of H pylori infection and improvement of dyspeptic symptoms. Self-eradication does not occur within 1 year of follow-up. A trend toward a higher rate of chronic inflammation in noneradicated children at 1 year limited the time of our study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buonavolontà
authors.forename: Erasmo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miele
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vecchione
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Staiano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000863:Antacids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001944:Breath Tests; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008276:Magnesium Hydroxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014508:Urea
chemical_list: D000863:Antacids; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D008795:Metronidazole; D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide; D000658:Amoxicillin; D014508:Urea; D017291:Clarithromycin; D009853:Omeprazole; D008276:Magnesium Hydroxide